Vacuum cleaner



Aug. 17 1926. 1,596,446

J. P. NELSON VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jan. 25. 1923 Z Sheets-Sheet, 1

I 53 v1 vc 1 1 f of; Wane/o0 5:

inn

J. P. NELSON VACUUM CLEANER Aug. 17 1926. 1,596,446

Filed Jan. 25. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TIE-g5 wumoo My 5: @dbow PatentedAug. 17, 1926.

I UNITED iSTA TES' :. JOHNJP. NELSON, OF JOHNSONBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

' vacuum CLEANER.-

Application filed January 25, 1923. Serial No. 614,862.

' My invention. relates to improvements in vacuum cleaners of theelectrically driven type in which the suction nozzle is detachable fromthe fan housing or other suction housing, in order that a suction hosemay be substituted for the nozzle, for cleaning draperies and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner of the typeset forth provided with driving means for a brush within the nozzle,which is formed of two separable units carried respectively by thenozzle and the suction housing, whereby this nozzle and 'the brush 'witha. portion of the drivin means for the latter, may be .bodily removedwhen the suction hose is to be applied;v

Another object of the invention is to provide quickly and easilyoperable means for detachably holding either the nozzle or the suctionhose in place upon the suction housmg.

A still further object is to provide means extending through the suctionpassage between the fan housing and the nozzle, for the purpose ofdriving the brush of said nozzle directly from the fan shaft, this a'r-'rangcment being adapted for cleaners in which the nozzle is notremovable, as well as those above referred to.

A further aim is to provide a unique carrying frame for the brush withinthe noz-' zle and certain gearing which is used for driving the same.Vith the' foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, the description beingsupplemented by the accompanymg drawings.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of .a vacuum cleaner constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view partly in elevation. 1

Figure 3 is a verticaltransverse sectional view as indicated by line 3-3of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view partly in elevation, showing asuction hose substituted for the suction nozzle.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation, illustratingmore clearly the constructionof the carrying frame for the brush and itsgearing.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the cam and its shaft forretracting the sleeve which connects the fan shaft with the brushoperating shaft.

.In the drawings above briefly described,

the numeral 1 designates a. suction housing of substantially fiat formwith a circular side wall, this housing being connected to the front endof a suitable electric motor 2 whose shaft '3 extends axially into thehousing and carries a suction fan 4. The front side of the housing 1 isformed with a suction inlet opening 5 with which the discharge passageor neck 6 of a floor engaging suction nozzle 7 communicates, when thecleaner is to be used for cleaning floor coverings, appropriate wheels 8and handle 9 being provided in order that the device may be moved overthe floor in the usual manner. When draperies or the'like are to becleaned, the

entire nozzle 7 may be removed and the hose substitutedtherefor as willbe hereinafter described. 1

An appropriate brush 10 is rotatably mounted in the suction nozzle 7 andis provided with an operating shaft 11 which may be operatively yetdetachably connected with the fan shaft 3, whereby the rotation of thefan will simultaneously drive the brush. In the preferred form of myinvention, the shaft 12 of the brush 10 is provided with a worm gear 13meshing with a worm 14 on the shaft 11 to drive the brush at arelatively slow speed and the detachable connection between the twoshafts 3 and 11, preferably consists-of a sleeve 15 slidably carried byone shaft and projectable into engagement with the other shaft. In thepresent show ing, the sleeve 15 is slidably carried by the shaft 11 andhas a pin and slot driving connection 16 therewith, the free end of thesleeve being formed with notches 17 to engage a transverse pin 18carried by the shaft 3. A coil spring 19 has been shown housed withinthe sleeve 15 for normally projecting the latter to hold it in operativeengagement withv the shaft 3 and its pin 18 and for the purpose ofretracting the sleeve against the action of'the spring, when the nozzle7 is to be detached from the housing 1, I prefer to provide the sleevewith an outstanding 20 engaging a cam 21 on the inner end of a. shortshaft 22 which extends to the exterior of the neck 6, the outer end ofthis shaft being provided with a suitable knob or the like 23, wherebyit maybe turned by'hand.

It will be seen from the above that by turning the knob 23, the sleeve15 may be disengaged from the shaft 3, whereupon disconnection of theneck 6 from the housing 1 will permit the suction nozzle 7, the brushand gearing within this nozzle, and the driving connections 11-15, to bebodily removed from the housing 1.

For detachably connecting the neck 6 with the housing 1, I prefer toprovide the rear end of said neck with a substantially triangular plateto contact wit-h the front side of thehousing, the lower edge of saidplate and said housing being provided with coacting lips 26, while asuitable releasable fastener 27 engages the upper edge of the plate.When this fastener is released, the lips of the plate 25 may bedisengaged-from those of the housing to permit easy detachment of thenozzle.

In order that a hose, illustrated at 28 in Fig. 4, may be substitutedfor the nozzle, I provide the rear end of this hose with a hell or thelike 29 having a plate 25 which is identical with the plate 25, so thatit may be readily engaged with the lips 26 of the housing 1 and with thefastener 27.

By reference more particularly to Figs. 2 and 5, one adequate means ofmounting the brush in the nozzle, will be seen. In these views, I haveillustrated an elongated frame 30 adapted for horizontal disposition inthe lower portion of the nozzle 7, any desired means such as the screws31, being employed to secure the frame in place. Upright plates 32 risefrom the ends of the frame 30 and rotatably support the ends of thebrush shaft 12, while the intermediate portion of said frame is providedwith an upstanding housing 33 containing the worm gear 13 and having onits upper side a pocket forming extension .33 containing the worm 14.Suitable provision (not shown) maybe made for filling the housing 33withgrease for constantly lubricating the gearing, or for merelysupplying oil to this gearing whenever desired.

By employing the construction shown, or a substantial equivalentthereof, it will be seen that a simple and inexpensive, yet a highlyefficient and reliable cleaner has been provided. As excellent resultsmay be obtained from the details disclosed, they may be followed ifdesired, but it is understood that the present disclosure is forillustrative purposes only and that, within the scope of. the inventionas claimed, numerous changes may be made.

I claim:

A vacuum cleaner comprising a suction housing, a suction nozzledetachably con neeted with said housing, a driving shaft in said housinghaving a free end adjacent the suction passage between the housing andthe nozzle, a brush in said nozzle having an operating shaft axiallyalined with said driving shaft a con lin sleeve surrounding the adjacentends of said shafts and

